Unit 1: Business Research

1. Meaning of Research
Research is a structured and organized approach to finding answers to questions or solutions
to problems. It involves collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to gain insights or make
informed decisions.
Purpose of Research:

Exploring: Research helps in exploring unknown areas or gaining more in-depth knowledge
about a particular subject.
Describing: It provides descriptions of phenomena, events, or characteristics, which helps in
understanding their nature.
Explaining: It attempts to explain relationships and causes behind certain events or behaviors.
Predicting: Research can help in predicting future outcomes based on current data and trends.
Solving Problems: Practical research aims at solving real-world problems in areas like
business, healthcare, education, etc.
Example: In business, research might be conducted to find out why customers are not
satisfied with a product, leading to potential improvements.

2. Types of Research.
1. Basic Research (Pure Research)
• Purpose: Expands general knowledge without immediate practical applications.
• Characteristics:
o Conducted to understand concepts or theories.
o Often in academic or research institutions.
• Example: Studying how plants respond to light changes; knowledge gained might apply to future
agricultural improvements but for now there is no practical use of it.
• Additional Outcomes:
o Lays groundwork for applied research.
o Adds to overall scientific knowledge and understanding.

2. Applied Research
• Purpose: Solves specific, real-world problems using existing knowledge.
• Characteristics:
o Focused on immediate, practical applications.
o Often funded by businesses or organizations.
o Time-sensitive with defined goals.
• Example: Testing new packaging to keep food fresh longer, reducing waste and improving
quality.
• Additional Outcomes:
o Leads to new products, services, or processes.
o Provides immediate benefits to industries or communities.
3. Descriptive Research
• Purpose: Describes "what is happening" without exploring why.
• Characteristics:
o Uses surveys, observations, or case studies.
o Provides a snapshot or overview of a current situation.
o Does not seek to explain causes.
• Example: Surveying customers to see who buys certain products and how often.
• Additional Outcomes:
o Offers baseline data for future analytical studies.
o Helps identify trends, patterns, or general behaviours.

4. Analytical Research
• Purpose: Analyses data from descriptive research to find patterns and reasons.
• Characteristics:
o Focuses on “why” trends or behaviours exist.
o Involves data analysis, often using statistics.
o Can predict or explain outcomes.
• Example: Studying seasonal sales data to understand why certain products sell more at specific
times.
• Additional Outcomes:
o Helps make data-driven decisions and forecasts.
o Reveals causes behind observed trends or patterns.

5. Exploratory Research
• Purpose: Gains initial insights into new or unfamiliar topics.
• Characteristics:
o Often unstructured and flexible.
o Used to clarify questions and set a basis for further research.
o Doesn’t aim to provide conclusive results.
• Example: Exploring customer needs in a new market to shape a new product.
• Additional Outcomes:
o Identifies potential areas for future, focused research.
o Informs decisions on whether to pursue further study or investment.

6. Quantitative Research
• Purpose: Uses numerical data to measure things and find patterns.
• Characteristics:
o Involves large sample sizes and statistical analysis.
o Methods include surveys, experiments, and structured questionnaires.
o Provides measurable results.
• Example: Surveying 1,000 people on their exercise habits to see if exercise correlates with
happiness.
• Additional Outcomes:
o Provides clear, data-driven insights.
o Enables to make predictions and comparisons using numerical data.

7. Qualitative Research
• Purpose: This research collects data about people’s thoughts, experiences,feelings and
 perspectives.
• Characteristics:
o Uses:
▪ Interviews - in depth one to one discussion which allows a person to share
personal experiences.
▪ group discussions- group discussion for collective data,experiences.
o Provide deep insights into human experiences.
• Example: Interviewing employees about their work-from-home experiences.
• Additional Outcomes:
o Helps uncover deeper meanings, motivations, and feelings.

Summary Points for Easy Comparison

• Basic vs. Applied:
o Basic research increases theoretical understanding, while applied research addresses
specific, practical problems.
• Descriptive vs. Analytical:
o Descriptive research observes “what,” while analytical research explains “why.”
• Exploratory vs. Descriptive:
o Exploratory is for new areas to gain initial understanding; descriptive provides detailed
snapshots of known topics.
• Quantitative vs. Qualitative:
o Quantitative is about numbers and measurable data; qualitative focuses on personal
thoughts and in-depth insights.
 3. Criteria of Good Research (with example)
A good research study should meet certain criteria to ensure its quality and reliability:

Clear Purpose: The study should have a clear and specific objective or research question.
o Research Question: Does the new study technique improve test scores?

Systematic Approach: Research must be conducted in a well-organized manner, following a

step-by-step approach..

o Steps: Researchers randomly assign 50 students to two groups: one uses the new
technique, the other uses traditional studying. Both groups are given the same test after
one month of studying

Logical Structure: Research should be based on sound reasoning, allowing the conclusions to
naturally flow from the evidence.
o Flow: The researchers hypothesize that the new technique will improve test scores. After
testing, they compare the average scores from both groups to see if there’s a significant
difference.
Empirical Evidence: Findings should be based on actual observations or experiments rather
than assumptions.
o Data: The results are based on actual test scores, not opinions or assumptions.

Replicable: Other researchers should be able to replicate the study to verify the results,
ensuring that it’s reliable.
o Verification: Another researcher could repeat the study using the same method and check
if the results are the same, confirming reliability.
➢ Flowchart for Criteria of Good Research:

Clear Purpose --> Systematic Approach --> Logical Structure --> Empirical Evidence -->
Replicable
4. Steps in the Research Process (with example)
The research process involves a series of steps that researchers follow to gather and analyze
data systematically.
1. Identifying the Problem: The first step is to clearly define the research problem or
question.
Problem: Does the use of social media affect students' academic performance?
2. Reviewing Literature: Researchers study existing research related to the topic to
understand what has been done and what gaps exist.
Literature Review: Previous studies show mixed results: some suggest social
media distracts students, while others find no significant impact. Gaps include a
lack of studies focusing on specific platforms or age groups
3. Formulating Hypothesis: A hypothesis is a prediction or assumption that the research aims
to test.
Hypothesis: Increased use of social media negatively affects students' academic
performance.
4. Research Design: This step involves planning the research methodology, including
choosing data collection and analysis methods.
Design: A quantitative study with a survey method. The survey will ask students
about their social media usage and their GPA. Data will be analyzed using statistical
tests to determine any correlation
5. Data Collection: Researchers gather data through surveys, interviews, experiments, or
observations.
Data Collection: Distribute the survey to 200 students at a local university, asking about
their social media habits and academic performance.
6. Data Analysis: The data collected is analyzed to find patterns or answers to the research
question.

Analysis: Analyze the survey results using statistical software to check for correlations
between time spent on social media and GPA
7. Interpretation & Reporting: Researchers interpret their findings, draw conclusions, and
present the results in a report or paper.
Interpretation: The results show a weak negative correlation, suggesting that higher
social media use is associated with lower GPA, but the relationship is not strong.
Report: Write a report summarizing the findings, discussing limitations (e.g., self-report
bias), and suggesting further research into specific social media platforms or academic
subjects.
➢ Flowchart for Steps in the Research Process:
Identifying the Problem --> Reviewing Literature --> Formulating Hypothesis --> Research
Design --> Data Collection --> Data Analysis --> Interpretation & Reporting
 5. Unit of Analysis
The unit of analysis is the main entity being studied in a research project. It is the “who” or
“what” that the research focuses on.

Types of Units of Analysis:

1. Individuals: The focus is on individual behaviors, attitudes, experiences, or characteristics.

Example: A study on job satisfaction would have individual employees as the unit of
analysis.

2. Groups : Research may examine collective behaviors or characteristics of groups, such as

teams, departments, or communities. Example: A study exploring the communication
patterns within a work team would focus on the team as the unit of analysis.

3. Organizations: In some cases, research may be concerned with the structures, policies, or
outcomes at the organizational level. Example: A study investigating the impact of
corporate governance on profitability would use organizations or companies as the unit of
analysis.

4. Events: Research may focus on specific occurrences or phenomena, such as campaigns,

crises, or social events.Example: A study examining the effects of a marketing campaign on
sales would have the campaign itself as the unit of analysiss

Example Scenario:

• Employee Satisfaction Study: The unit of analysis would be the individual employee, as
the focus is on their personal satisfaction and attitudes.

• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Study: If the research focuses on CSR initiatives
and how they affect company performance, the unit of analysis would be the organization
or company.
Example:If researching employee satisfaction, the unit of analysis would be the “individual
employee.”For a study on corporate social responsibility, the unit could be “organizations” or
“companies.

In any research, defining the unit of analysis is crucial because it determines the level at which
the data will be collected and analyzed. It influences the study design, methodology, and the
interpretation of results.
 Unit 3: Measurement and Scaling in Business Research

1. Measurement Scales

Measurement scales are tools used to quantify and categorize variables in research. The right
choice of scale helps in collecting accurate data and conducting meaningful analyses.

Definition: A measurement scale is a system or framework that assigns numbers or labels to

different characteristics of variables in research.
Purpose: It provides structure to the data collection process, ensuring that the information
gathered can be used for statistical analysis.

2. Different Types of Measurement Levels

There are four primary levels of measurement, each serving a different purpose in research.

❖ Nominal Scale:

Definition: This is the simplest scale, used for labeling variables without any quantitative
value.
Characteristics: Nominal scales categorize data based on characteristics or types, with no
ranking or ordering.
Examples: Gender (Male, Female), Nationality (Indian, American), or Product Types
(Electronics, Clothing).
Purpose: Nominal scales are mainly used for categorization. They are often analyzed using
counts and frequencies.
❖ Ordinal Scale:

Definition: Ordinal scales provide an order or rank to data but do not specify the distance
between ranks.
Characteristics: Variables can be ranked in a specific order, but the difference between ranks
is not meaningful.
Examples: Customer satisfaction levels (Satisfied, Neutral, Dissatisfied), Educational levels
(High School, Bachelor’s, Master’s).

Purpose: Ordinal scales allow researchers to analyze the order of preferences but not the
degree of difference between them.
 ❖ Interval Scale:

Definition: Interval scales show the order of values with equal intervals between them, but
they lack a true zero point.

Characteristics: It allows for meaningful comparisons between intervals, but since there’s no
true zero, ratios are not meaningful.
Examples: Temperature in Celsius (0°C does not mean 'no temperature'), IQ scores.

Purpose: Interval scales are useful in social science research for measuring constructs like
attitudes or opinions.
❖ Ratio Scale:

Definition: This scale has all the properties of interval scales, with the addition of a true zero
point, making ratio comparisons possible.
Characteristics: The presence of an absolute zero point means that researchers can make
meaningful comparisons and calculate ratios.
Examples: Weight, height, income, and age.

Purpose: Ratio scales are the most powerful for statistical analysis because they allow for a
wide range of calculations (mean, median, mode, etc.).

3. Different Types of Scale Techniques for Measuring Variables

When measuring variables, various scaling techniques help researchers capture respondents'
attitudes, opinions, and preferences more effectively. Here are some commonly used
techniques:

❖ .Likert Scale:

Description: A popular method for measuring attitudes, where respondents indicate their level
of agreement with a statement.
Example: “I am satisfied with the product quality.” Options might include:
Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, Strongly Disagree
Use in Research: Often used in surveys to measure agreement levels across different
statements. It is useful in customer satisfaction surveys, employee feedback, and more.

❖ Staple Scale:

Description: This scale asks respondents to rate an attribute with a single positive or negative
adjective, typically on a 10-point scale from -5 to +5.

Example: For "Friendly," respondents rate customer service from -5 (extremely unfriendly) to
+5 (extremely friendly).

Use in Research: It’s a straightforward tool to measure perceptions towards a single

characteristic, especially in marketing research.
 ❖ Semantic Differential Scale:

Description: Respondents rate their perception of a concept using opposite adjectives, like
“Good-Bad” or “Expensive-Affordable.”

Example: "Rate our product on the following characteristics":

Reliable ––– Unreliable

Efficient ––– Inefficient
Use in Research: This scale is often used to evaluate attitudes toward brands or products,
providing a visual way to measure people's feelings.
❖ Thurstone Scale:

Description: In this scale, statements about a topic are created and rated by experts.
Respondents then choose statements they agree with, which are averaged for a final score.
Example: In a survey about environmental attitudes:
“Climate change is an urgent problem.” (rated as strong agreement by experts)
Respondents choose the statements they agree with, and their scores are averaged.
Use in Research: This technique is more complex but provides precise measurements for
attitude research, often used in psychology and social sciences.

4. Sampling Design
Sampling design refers to the strategy used to select a subset (sample) of individuals from a
larger population for research purposes. A good sampling design ensures that the sample
represents the population accurately.
Steps in Sampling Design:
1. Define the Population: Decide who or what should be included in the study.

2. Determine the Sample Frame: Create a list or guideline to identify every member of the
population.
3. Select the Sampling Method: Choose how the sample will be selected.

4. Determine the Sample Size: Decide on the number of participants.

5. Collect the Sample: Apply the chosen method to obtain the sample.

Purpose: Proper sampling design is essential for generalizing research results to a larger
population.
5. Types of Sampling
Sampling techniques are categorized into two main types:

➢ Probability Sampling and Non-Probability Sampling.

1. Probability Sampling: Each member of the population has a known and equal chance of
being selected.
Types:

Simple Random Sampling: Every individual has an equal chance of being selected (e.g.,
drawing names from a hat).
Stratified Sampling: The population is divided into subgroups, and random samples are taken
from each group.
Cluster Sampling: The population is divided into clusters, and some clusters are chosen
randomly for the study.
Systematic Sampling: Selecting every nth item from a list.

Advantages: Produces a representative sample, minimizes bias, and is suitable for

generalizing findings to the entire population.

2. Non-Probability Sampling: Not every individual has an equal chance of being included.
The selection is based on the researcher’s judgment or convenience.

Types:

Convenience Sampling: Choosing individuals who are easiest to reach (e.g., surveying people
at a shopping mall).
Judgmental Sampling: The researcher selects participants based on their knowledge (e.g.,
choosing only experts for a study).
Quota Sampling: A specific number of participants are chosen from different groups to
represent the population.
Snowball Sampling: Current participants recruit future participants, often used for hard-to-
reach populations.
Advantages: Easier and less time-consuming, suitable for exploratory research where
precision is not critical.